Stephen Colbert Drops The Act, Gives Trump a Sincere Thank You

This is surprising, but so nice to see.

Even if just for a moment, Stephen Colbert, the acerbic late night host who has been a constant, and often unfunny, thorn in Donald Trump’s side, finally dropped the act and gave a sincere thank you to our President in a rare candid moment on the show, following the tragic shooting of Congressman Scalise at a baseball practice.

On The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the liberal host opened with a unifying statement about the Alexandria, Va., shooting that left four people wounded, including lawmaker Steve Scalise, who is reportedly in critical condition. Colbert started by saying:

“Ladies and gentlemen, before we get started, I just want to take a moment to talk about the attack today in Alexandria. Once again, we’re all shocked in mind and soul by a mass shooting, this time targeting, apparently, a Republican congressmen. And I pray to God that everyone pulls through. Violence of any kind is never justified and is the last refuge of the incompetent. Thankfully, none of the members or their staff or police were killed today. And I will say this, even in the horror of this day, there was reason to take heart in bipartisan responses like this…”

The host then showed a speech by Nancy Pelosi, who said, “We will use this occasion as one that brings us together, and not separates us further.” This was followed by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan saying, “We are united in our shock. We are united in our anguish. And an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.”

Colbert concluded by saying:

“So I just want to say thank you to the congressional leadershipand to the presidentfor responding to this act of terrorin a way that gives us hopethat whatever our differences, we will always be the United States of America.Thank you for that.”